Antiseptic attachment for telephones.



F. C. MBLERi ANTISEPTIG ATTAGHMENT FOR TELEPHONES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. Z4, 1908. V

Patented Oct. 6,`1908 z'sHBBTs-SHEET 1;

.APPLICATION-FILED JAN. 24, 1908.

Patentd 0.51:. 6, 1 908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

unirsi) STATES,

FRANK O. TABLER,

PATENT crimen.

OF ST.A LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF FIFTY-ONE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO GUS V. MECHIN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

'ANTISEPTIC ATTACI'IMENT FOR TELEPHONES.

No# OL?. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented oet. .6, ieos.

. Appueeiinimea .refinery 24, isos. serieiNo. 412,515.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. TABLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St;- Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Im rovement in Antiseptie Attachments for t following is a full, clear, and exact descri tion, such as will enable others skilled in tlIie elephones, of which the art t which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speci- `301m section, of sti secti'enal View taken on t fication, in which- Figure `1 is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, of my improved antiseptic attachment for' telephones; Fig. 2 is affront elevation of said device; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional View showing the means for 's eeuring`tl'1e cap or cover te the receptacle that contains the antiseptic material; Fi 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, il ustrating anotherway inwhich the piece of fabric can be arranged in osition; Fig. 5 isa fie line 5 5 ofFi 4, Fi 6 is a vertica-lsectional view of a modified erm of my,invention; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view 'of the device shown in Fig.

,for the. purpose' lof more clearly illustrating in' Sis a side elevation, partly l another form of my inventhe means .that retains the ,piece of fabric position 'and Fi tion.

This invention relates to antiseptic attachments for telephones.

' 'The main object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described .com-

a piece of fabric arranged in front of and in alinement therewith, and means for supplying said piece of fabric with an antiseptic rriazterialu,v

Othler vobjects of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

- l' -Preferably, the antiseptic 'material or sov lution is supplied to the -piece of fabric labove referred to by capillary attraction, and said material-'is contained in a reservoir or rece -v ta'cle`located` adjacent to said ieee of fabric.

Referring to Fi". l of the c rawin'gs .which 4 yillustrates the -pre'erred for'mof my invention, 41 designates the face plate of an ordinary transmitter,`said faceplate carrying the diaphragmQ behind which a carbon button 3 is arranged;I A n inclosing easing or housing 4 of usual construction is secured to the face plate 1 and on the -front side of said face plate l is a threaded boss 1al which is adapted to receive the hard rubber mouth-piece that f transmitters are usually provided with.

The parts above described are herein into the boss 1a on the face plate. A piece of fabric 8 is arrangedV in front of the diaphragm 2 of the transmitter and in aliuement therewith and said piece of fabric is supplied with an antiseptic solution by means of packing or absorbent material 9 arranged inside of the receptacle 5 and saturated with some `suitable antiseptic solution.`

lThe receptacle or casing 5 is provided with ange 10 and thepieee of fabric 8 is stretched over said flange and across. said opening so that it' lies parallel to the diaphragm 2, the

tact with the packing 9 so that the antiseptic solution with which the acking '9 is saturated will be supplied to t e pieceof fabric 8 by capillary ,attraction and th s keep said piece of'fabric moist.

' In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 1, the cap'or cover 6 for the receptacle 5 isv provided with an integral mouth-piece B and ,openings are formed in said capto receive that contact at their inner ends with a fibrous ing 9 and the cap 6 vso as to antisepticize thel mouth-piece B. Said ad 12 vis, of course,4 provided with a centra opening so as not to covertliat-portion of the piece of fabric 8 which extends across the opening leading to the diaphragm.

lf desi'red, a screen 13 can be arranged lover the v'piece of fabric 8 vto prevent it from being broken, and said screen is preferably provided with teeth or projections that are ent down into engagement with the packing 9, as Yshown in Fig. 1.4 The removable cap or cover 6 can be connected to the receptacle 5 by any suitable means but I prefer to `prises a reservoir or receptacle 5 connected to flange -7 on the receptacle 5 which screws `.f

a central opening that is surrounded by a H Wicks 11 0r vshort pieces of fibrous material e 5 pad 12 which is interposed between the packshown as being mounted on a standard A, but it will, of course, be understood that they marginaledges of said fabric being in conloo i l (i5 retain said cap in position by means of screws 14 in the edge portion of the receptacle which extend intoa groove or channel in a flange 15 on the cap, as shown in Fig. 3. Theadvantage of connecting the cap to the receptacle in this manner is that the cap can be so adjusted that the printing thereon, such for example, as the trade name of the device, will be arranged properly.

antise tic attachment of the construction above escribed can be applied easily to telephones of the types in general use by simply removing the mouth-piece from the face plate l of the transmitter and screwing the receptacle onto saine.

The piece of fabric 8 that is arranged in alinenient with the diaphragm 2 and in front of same, does not interrupt the sound waves, and as said piece of fabric is iinpeiforate, it is impossible for germs to enter the chamber or casing containing the diaphragm. Furthermore, both the mouth-piece and diaphragm are thoroughly antisepticized. rlhe reservoir or receptacle which contains the packing or absorbent material 9 saturated with the antiseptic solution, will keep the piece of fabric 8 moist for a long time, and to renew or replenish the antiseptic medium it is only necessary to saturate the packing 9.

'hile I prefer to arrangethe piece of fabric 8 between the niouth-piece and the diaphragm, as shown in Fig. 1, I do not wish it to be understood that my broad idea is limited to such a construction as the same resuits would be accomplished if the piece of fabric were arranged inside of the mouthpiece. ln Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated such a construction, the piece of fabric 8 being stretched across the mouth-piece B adjacent the inner end thereof and retained in position by means of a spring ring 16 which forces the n'iarginal edges of the fabric into a groove on the inner face o f the mouthplcce, as shown clearly in F ig. 4. The piece of fabric 8a contacts with the wicks 11` which lead from the pad 12 that bears upon the packing 9 so that the antiseptic solution is supplied to the fabric 8 by capillary attraction and thus keeps said fabric moist.

ln Fig. (i I have shown a slightly modified form of my invention wherein the cap or cover 6u for the receptacle 5 is provided with a threaded boss 10u to receive the hard rube bcrniouth-piece Bithat1 was rcn'ioved from the face plate of the tiransmitter when the antiseptic attachment was applied to said face p ate. ,'.l`he cap piece or cover (3 in this feria of my attachment is 'provided witha sere .v-thijeaded flange L that screws into an inteinaliy screw-thrcaded flange 14 on tlic rece ptacle 5'LL and the picce of fabric S is held stretched across the opening that leads to the diaphragm of of i spring clip incr its that bear upon the packing or absorbthc transmitter by means 17 having radial enlargei i i ent material 9 and hold ii in position. lf the mouth-piece B2 i.I provided with a perforated partition IS siich as thc nioiith-pieccs in general use are provided with, it will not. be necessary to arrange a screen over the piece of fabric S to prevent it from being broken, but in case said mouth-piece is not so constructed, it is preferable to arrange a screen 1Q over the fabric, as shown in Fig. 7. The central opening in the receptacle is siirrounded by a threaded hollow boss l7 that coperatcs with the boss ll on the face platt to retain the receptacle iii position, :ind ii desired, said receptacle may be provided with a spring clip 20 having a bent end that extends behind the face plate t, the other end of said cli) being secured to thc up )er edge of the ho low boss 7"l and lying iinif iieath the piece of fabric S that is stretched across said boss. Vfith a construction of this description, the receptacle 5 cannot be unscrewed from the face plate without first removing the cap piece ti and the piece of fabric 8 so as to get at the clip 2t).

l'n Fig. S l have shown still. another forni of my invention wherein the face plate l of the transmit-tei' has a receptacle or reservoir 5b formed integral therewith to receive the packing or absorbent material, the other features of this forinbeing the saine as the forni shown inFig. 6. Any suitable antiseptic material can be used such, for example, as formaldehyde, earbolic acid, wintcrgreen or Oil of cassia, but it will, of course, be understood that it is immaterial so far as my invention is concerned what kind of antiseptic material is used.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as newvand desire to secure by lietters Patent is l. An antiseptic attachment for telcphones, comprising fibrous material arranged infront of, and parallel to, the diaphragm of a telephone, and means for supplying said brons material with an antisepticnicdiiiiii; substantially as described. i

2. An antiseptic attachment for telephones, comprising fibrous material arranged in front of the diaphragm of a telephone and in aliiienieiit therewith, and absorbent material saturated with an antiseptic compound for keepingI said fibrous material moist; substantially as described.

3. An antise]\tic attachment for te) phones, comprising an impcrforatc piece of fabric arranged in front of the diaphragm of a telephone in such a manner that it is penct-rated by the sound waves of the voice of the person usingl the telephone and means for supplying said fabric with in antiseptic medium; substantially as described.

l, An antiseptic attachment for telephones, comprising an impcrforate piece of fabric arranged iii front of the diaphragm of a telephone iii such a manner that it is poliesov i. plies said fabric;

'trated by the sund waves of the voice of the person using the telephone, and absorbent material saturated with an antiseptic solution 'which is supplied to said piece of fabric by capillary attraction; substantially as described.

5. An antiseptic attachment for telephones, comprising a piece of fabric arranged in front of the dia hragm of a telephone and extending parallelp to said diaphragm, and a receptacle or reservoir containing an anti septic medium which keeps said piece of fabric moist; substantially as described,

6. An antiseptic attachment for telephones, cqmprising a receptacle arranged on the face late of a telephone transmitter and provide with a central opening `that is in alinementwith the diaphragm, and a piece of fabric arranged in alinement with said open.- ing and extending transversely thereof, said piece of fabric being kept moist by the antiseptic medium in tially as described.

phones, comprising a reservoir or receptacle provided' with a central opening that is in alinement with the diaphragm,l a mouthpiece on saidv receptacle, a piece of fabric which extends transversely of the central opening in said receptacle, and an antiseptic medium iii said receptacle for kee ing said piece of fabric moist; substantial-y as de.-Y

scribed;

8. An antiseptic attachment for telephones, comprising a piece of fabric arranged hragm of the telephone, in combination with a reservoir containing `antiseptic material which supsubstantially as described.

9. `An antiseptic attachment for telephones, comprising a receptaclehaving'a cen-l tral opening that is located in alinement with the diaphra in of a telephone, a detachable cap for sai ried by said cap, apiece of fabric arranged transversely of the central. opening in said receptacle, and an antiseptic medium in said phones, com

receptacle which supplies said substantially asdescribed.

10. An antiseptic attachment for telerising a 'receptacle rovided with a centra openin located'in a inement with thediaphragm ogfa telephone and containing an antiseptic. medium, a piece 'of fabric extending transversely of said opening and adapted t'o be kept moist by the antiseptic.medium, and a cap or cover for said piece of-fabiic;

receptacle provided with an integral mouth piece; substantially as described.

11. "An antiseptic attachment for tele-v phones, comprising a receptacle or reservoir containing an antiseptic medium, a' iece of fabric arranged in alinement with t e diaphragm of the tele lione on which said c t- `tachment :is used, t ie antiseptic medium in said receptacle; substan-` An antiseptic attachment for tele-i receptacle, a. mouth-piece car#v said receptacle being supplied to said piece of fabric by capillary attraction, a mouthpiece, and means for conducting the antiseptic medium to the interior of said mouthl piece; substantially as described.

12. A11 antiseptic attachment for telephones, conprising a receptacle adapted to e connecte to the face plate of a telephone transmitter and provided with a central opening that is in alinemeiit with the diap i ragin, a )ieee of fabric arranged across said opening. a 'sorbent material in said receptacle saturated with an antiseptic solution forkeepiiig said piece of fabric moist, a cover detachably connected to said receptacle and provided with anintegral mouth-piece, and

means lfor conducting said antiseptic solution to the interior of said mouth-piece; sul stantially as described.

13. .An antiseptic attachment for tele-V phones, com rising a receptacle provided with a centra opening, by said receptacle, a iece of fabric arranged inside of4 said moutli-piece and extending transversely thereof, and an antiseptic medium in said receptacle for keeping said fabric moist; substantially as described.

14. An antiseptic attachment for telephones, comprising a receptacle which contai'iis an antiseptic medium, said receptacle 9 having a central opening that is in alincinent with the da hragm of a telephone, a mouthiece carrie by said receptacle, a piece of abric arranged inside of said mouthieee and extending transversely thereof, yie ding means for retaining said piece of fabric ,iii position, and means for supplying the antisepticmedium in said receptacle tov said piece of fabric; substantially as described.

15. An antiseptic attachment for tclc` phones, comprising a' receptacle provided with a central' opening an containingr an antiseptic medium, an adjustable cover on said receptacle which carries a mouth-piece, and apiece of fabric extending transversely of the opening in said receptacle and being kept ina moist condition by the antiseptic medium; substantially as described.

16. An. antiseptic attachment `for telephones, comprising a receptacle provided with a centra opening that is surrounded by a flange, a piece of fabric stretched across said o iening, absorbent material in said re'- ceptac e saturated `with an antiseptic solution to keep said fabric moist, a screen arranged over said fabric, and a mouth-piece carried by a cap' that is connected to said receptacle; substantially as described. j

17. An antiseptic attachment for telephones, comprising a'receptacle containing an antiseptic medium and provided with a, central opening, a piece of fabric arranged across said opening and having its edge portions in contact with said antiseptic medium, and a cap o'r cover havinga flange provided a mouthpiece carried with a groove or channel that receives attaching devices on. said receptacle; substantially as described.

18. An antiseptic attachment forI telephones, comprising a fabric arranged across the opening between the mouth-piece and the diaphragm of a telephone, in combination with a reservoir for antiseptic material which supplies said fabric; substantially as described.

19. An antiseptic attachment for telephones, comprising a fabric stretched across the opening between the mouth-piece and the diaphragm of a telephone, an encircling reservoir,`and absorbent material saturated with an antiseptic solution and arranged in said reservoir in contact with said fabric;i substantially as described.

20. In an antiseptic attachment for telephones, the combination With a casing haying an inwardly extending boss, a fabric arranged acr'oss said boss, means for holding said fabric in position, and absorbent material saturated with an antiseptic material in contact With said fabric; substantially as described.

21. In an attachment for tclepimnes, the combination with a casing having an inwardly extending boss, a fabric stretched across said boss, absorbent material saturated with an antiseptic medium in contact with the. marginal edges of said fabric, and means for holding said fabric and said absorbent material in position; substantially as described.

22. In an antiseptic attachment for telephones, the combination with a casing haring means at one side for attachment to the face plate of a telephone or diaphragm box,

, and means at the other side for attachment l l l l l l fag; '900,447

of the mouth-piece of the telephone, said cas'- ing being provided with an opening located in alinement 'with the mouth-piece and the diaphragm of the telephone, a fabric extending transversely across said opening, and absorbent material saturated with an antiseptic material in contact With the marginal edges of said fabric;- substantially 'as described.

23. The combination with the face plate of a telephone transmitter, of a casing removably secured thereto and containing an antiseptic medium, and a clip secured in said removable casing and engaging the face plate so as to lock said casing in position on said face plate; substantially as described.

24. In an antiseptic attachment for telephones, the combination with a fabric interposed between the mouth-piece and the diaphragm, means for supplying sai l fabric with an antiseptic medium, and a protecting screen arranged in juxtaposition to said fabric; substantially as described. A 25. In an antiseptic attachment for telephones, the combination with a casing having an inwardly extending boss, a fabric arranged across said boss, absorbent material saturated with an antiseptic compound in contact with the marginal edges ot' said fabric, and a spring clip haring radial enlargements for embracing said boss to hold said fabric and said absorbent material in position 3 substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses, this fifteenth day of January 1908.

` FRANK. C. TABLER. l

Titnesses yN/'mars L. CHURCH, GEORGE BAKEWELL. 

